My photo of 9/11 survivors inspired Canadian artist Barbara Brooks Maywood to make a relief sculpture. I feel very honored!
One week after the destruction of New York’s World Trade Centre in September 2001, The Guardian Weekly newspaper published a photograph taken by photojournalist Gulnara Samoilova.
The photograph depicts a group of people walking away from the World Trade Centre site through a street littered with debris, and clouded with the choking dust that rushed through the surrounding area when the towers collapsed. In the forefront of this group are seven people, bound together by the urgency of the situation. Six figures are intent on putting some distance between themselves and the shattered towers, while one lone figure, in opposition to the tide, makes his way towards the devastation.
This exhibition is a response to that moment on September 11, 2001 and a silent homage to the horror endured by the victims of that attack. It is also a reflection on the path taken by the world in the five years since 9/11.
Here is the email I recieved from the artist.
Dear Gulnara,
I am an artist living north of the small town of Stony Plain which is located west of the city of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada.
I recently completed and exhibited a relief sculpture which is based on your photograph of survivors taken on 9/11. You can view an image of my sculpture installation at the following link to Harcourt House Gallery :
http://harcourthouse.ab.ca/gallery/exhibitions06/brooksmaywood.htm
Your beautifully composed and emotionally compelling photograph caught my attention when it was published in the The Guardian Weekly newspaper. I developed the relief sculpture over a period of 3 years. The relief itself is constructed in separate concrete panels (approx 4 ” thick) and its overall measurement is 5 ‘ high x 10′ 6″ wide. For the purposes of the exhibition, the relief panels were placed on a wooden support frame which increased the overall height to 6′. In addition I exhibited the relief with a ‘carpet’ of camouflage netting, as I wanted to have viewers reflect, not only on the events of Sept 9, 2001 but also, on the path the world has travelled since that day, specifically the military response.
I want to let you know that I have acknowledged your photograph as the source material for this sculpture and in the exhibition I included a photocopy of your photograph alongside some drawings I had done. You have been clearly identified as the photographer in all promotional materials and in the reviews of the work published in local newspapers.
I plan to seek other exhibition venues for this work and of course, hope to find a permanent placement for the relief at some future date. If you are interested I will keep you informed of the progress of the work (exhibits, permanent home). Please let me know.
I hope you enjoy seeing how I have interpreted your work, and perhaps how the poignancy of your image has been carried forward in another media. Thank you for the inspiration.
With best wishes,
Barbara Brooks Maywood
